St. Paul city officials held a briefing today to talk about flood preparedness. The National Weather Service is predicting a 70 percent chance of major flooding, with waters rising higher than 17 feet. The normal height for the Mississippi River in St. Paul is about four feet. Emergency operations director Rick Larkin is urging residents and businesses to prepare for flooding now.

“Number one: know your risk – do I live in a flood plain? Number two: have a plan, have an emergency plan for your family. And the third thing is: stay informed,” he says.

The city will be mailing out a Letter to Residents in the flood plain with information on flood preparedness. If the waters reach “minor flood stage” of 14 feet, the city would begin issuing daily flood e-mail updates for staff and media. The city has also launched this website with up-to-date flood information.